1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vibration damping in a sports racquet, such as a tennis racquet, having a strung striking surface, and more specifically involves a flexible elastic band device for interweaving in the strings and including channels for receiving the strings for damping vibrations in the strings.
2. Background of the Invention
A conventional sports racquet, such as a tennis racquet, has a striking surface formed by two intersecting sets of parallel spaced strings attached to and enclosed by an oval-shaped head portion of the racquet to which a handle is attached. One set of strings, the main strings, runs longitudinally, generally parallel to the handle, and the other set of strings, the cross strings, generally runs transversely, generally normal to the handle axis. When a ball or other object is struck by the strung playing surface, vibrations are produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,445 of Ferrari describes a string vibration damping device. The device is an elastic tube having a central bore containing a vibration damping fluid. Attaching hook plug into each end of the bore. The device is typically interwoven about one end of the main strings.
The prior art device suffers from a number of disadvantages. Devices containing liquid are easily damaged, such as by a miss hit ball, and this commonly results in rupture and undesirable leaking of the contained liquid. Also, tube end plugs, since they attach axially, are easily dislodged during play. This results in a flailing strap and expulsion of the contained liquid. Additionally, such a tube has only a small contact area with the string. This limits the rate at which vibration energy that can be absorbed.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a vibration damping device capable of absorbing vibrational energy at a faster rate.
It is further desirable that such as device include securing fasteners that do not attach axially so that tension forces cannot dislodge them.